Multiple-piece frangible ware package



MULTIPLE-PIECE FRANGIBLE WARE PACKAGE Filed May 14, 1962 mm f/A/PRYIPZAFF/FAS .4 I'TOEIVEY United States Patent On ice 3,113,667 PatentedDec. 10, 1963 3,113,667 MULTIPLE-PIECE FRANGIBLE WARE PACKAGE Eugene J.Knapp, Coming, and Harry P. Latfkas, Addison, N.Y., assignors to CorningFibre Box, Corning,

N .Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 14, 1962, Ser. No. 194,497 3Claims. (Cl. 20646) This invention relates to a package for shippingmulti ple pieces of frangible ware, and more particularly to a compositepackage for transporting frangible dish-shaped ware having a separatecomplementing cover portion, wherein the package has a unique foamedplastic internal divider member or partition for nesting the coverportion in cushioned spaced-apart relationship with the dishshaped ware,which partition is removable from the enclosing carton upon thewithdrawal of the ware therefrom for displaying the ware.

In the past, the packaging of frangible ware such as vegetable dishes,casserole dishes, covered bowls and the like, made of such brittlematerials as glass, ceramics, and pottery, has necessitated the use ofbulky, complex and expensive packaging media. When shipping a covermember with a piece of Ware, it is not only necessary to attempt tominimize total volume by nesting the cover member within the ware, butalso it is imperative that there is no ware to ware contact which wouldinduce surface abrasion resulting in breakage. In order to obtain thisdesired end, it previously has been necessary to utilize complex paddingmaterial to separate the cover member from the ware, such as a pluralityof die cut corrugated pads which are built up and glued together to forma cushion, or interlays of excelsior and corrugated board. Suchpreviously known packaging media not only necessitated time-consumingand expensive manhours .to produce and install within the pack-age, butalso materially increased the total weight of the overall package addingto the shipping costs. In addition, the buildup pads were unsightly whendisplaying the ware, whereas the inherent mess produced whileunpackaging the excelsior pads was virtually intolerable.

Our invention encompasses the use of a lightweight preformed foamedplastic partition member which may be inexpensively manufactured with asubstantially universal configuration. The partition not only serves autilitarian purpose by maintaining peripheral edge portions of thedish-shaped ware in cushioned spatial relationship with the enclosingcarton of the package and nests the cover member in cushionedspaced-apart relationship with the ware, but also is provided withaesthetic appeal so that it may be utilized to pleasingly display theware when removed from the carton. In addition, the increased protectionobtained by the foamed partition member over the known cushioning media,permits the package to be readily mailable without necessitating theutilization of further impact-absorbing devices It thus has been anobject of our invention to provide an improved inexpensive lightweightpackage for shipping frangible multiple-piece were.

A further object of our invention has been to provide an improvedpackage for frangible ware having a dual purpose partition member whichmay be utilized to cushionably maintain portions of multiple-piece warein spatial relationship with each other and the enclosing carton duringtransportation, and which may be utilized to aesthetically display theware when removed from the canton.

These and other objects of our invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following disclosure :and accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE -1 is a top planned view of a package embodying our inventionwith a portion of the outer carton removed for the sake of clarity;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view in section taken along lines 22 ofFIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmental sectional view in elevation taken along lines3--3 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, a package 10 embodying our invention, isshown including an outer carton 11, a partition or ring member '12, andmultiple pieces of trangible were 13, 14. The outer carton 11 may bemade of any suitable material such as corrugated board, and although notshown, is provided with suitable closure portions which may be of anyknown construction. The carton is formed in a polyhedral configuration,and preferably in the shape of a hexahedron or rectangular prism and hasbounding wall portions including top, bottom, and sidewall portions.Enclosing wall portion 15 is shown cut away in FIGURE 1 so that theinternal components of the package 10 may be more clearly shown andunderstood.

The frangible article or ware 13 is shown in the form of .a dish-shapedvessel whose wall portions 16, although connected by smooth flowingrounded corner portions 17, form; an article having a substantiallyrectangular configuration. One pair of opposing sidewall portions 16 hasa pair of outwardly flanged handle portions 18 :Eormed integrally withupper edges thereof, whereas the other pair of opposing wall portionstenminates upwardly in smoothly rounded edge portions 19. Thedish-shaped vessel 13 is shown having a substantially flat or planarbottom portion 20.

The frangible ware piece 14 is shown in the form of a conoavo convexcover member having substantially curvilinear wall portions 21, providedwith an annular flange 22 extending outwardly from the wall portionsintermediate their extent. A knob or handle portion 23 is shown asformed integral with an upper portion of the cover member 14.

The partition 12 is a fiat-surfaced, ring-like member having acircuitous configuration and, as shown, may have an octahedral-shapedouter periphery comprising four major surfaces 24 connected by fourminor surfaces 25. The major surfaces 24 are formed to extend parallelto and lie in juxtaposition with two pairs of opposed bounding wallportions of the canton 11, to maintain the ring member 12 in a fixedrelationship with respect to such wall portions. The minor surfaces 25,although angularly disposed with respect to the major surfaces primarilyfor purposes of aesthetic appeal, are spaced from corner edges of theouter carton 11, and accordingly, any impact applied to these morevulnerable portions is absorbed by the outer carton before any shock istransmitted to the partition or the frangible ware. As shown at '26, theouter periphery of the ring member 12 has a slight taper which providesa pleasing modern appearance.

The ring-shaped partition member 12 is provided with a central openportion 27 bounded or surrounded by downwardly converging or taperedside wall portions 28. A grooved or annular recessed portion 29,communicating with the open portion 27, is formed in the lower surfaceof the ring member 12, and has a pair of opposed outwardly extendingexpanded recessed portions 30 communicating therewith.

As shown in the drawings, the cover member 14 when packaged fortransportation is in a spaced-apart nesting inverted position withrespect to the vessel 13. The partition member 12 is placed upon thevessel 13 so that the edge portions 19 and handle portions 18 arepositioned within recessed portions 29 and 30 respectively. The covermember 14 is then placed within the opening 27 in an inverted positionwith the curvilinear wall portions 21 of the cover member 14 cooperatingwith the tapered side wall portions 28 of the partition or ring member12. The annular flange 2.2 of the cover member 14 rests upon a surfacecontiguous with the upper edge of the tapered side wall 28. Although notshown, a piece of corrugated board may be positioned between the bottomof the vessel 13 and the carton 11, and also between the cover member 14and the carton 11 if desired.

The ring or partition member 12 is preferably formed of a lightweight,compressible, shock-absorbing material which is self-supporting,durable, pleasing to the eye, and moisture resistant. We have found thatfoamed plastics, and particularly foamed polystyrene, not only satisfythese requisites but also are relatively inexpensive. The singlepartition or ring member therefore, not only increases the speed ofpackaging assembly, but also provides a lightweight, compact,impact-resistant composite package.

The partition or ring member 12 functions to protect the frangible wareduring shipment, and also to display the ware attractively at itsdestination. The cover member 14 is placed in an upright position on thepartition member when displayed on retail shelves. As a result, when aprospective buyer or curious shopper removes the cover to examine theware, the edge portions of the cover and the ware will be protectedagainst chipping which might otherwise occur during rough handling byhurried or careless shoppers.

Although we have disclosed a preferred embodiment of our invention,various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

We claim:

1. A package for a bowl-like vessel and an associated cover membercomprising, an outer carton having a plurality of bounding side wallportions, a vessel having upwardly-extending side walls positionedwithin said outer carton, a substantially rigid yet compressible foamedplastic partition member having a central open portion extendingtherethrough positioned upon said vessel, an annular recess formed inthe bottom surface of said partition member and communicating with saidopen portion cushionably receiving upper edges of said vessel, acurvilinear cover member having a peripheral flange adapted to overliethe upper edges of said vessel when positioned thereon in an uprightorientation, tapered wall portions surrounding said central open portionreceiving and nestibly retaining said cover member in an invertedposition within said open portion and spaced apart from said vessel, aplurality of substantially planar surface portions forming the outerperiphery of said partition member with adjacent surface portionsforming an obtuse angle, and alternate ones of said surface portionscooperating with the bounding side wall portions of said outer carton toretain the vessel and cover member in spatial relationship with respectthereto.

2. A package for cushionably retaining a bowl-like article and anassociated cover member in nested spacedapart relationship whichcomprises, an outer container having a plurality of bounding side wallportions, a bowllike article having upwardly-extending side walls with apair of flange-like handles extending outwardly therefrom positionedwithin said outer container, a concave-convex cover member, asubstantially rigid ring-like partition member of compressible foamedplastic for separating said cover member and said bowl-like article, anannular recessed portion formed in the lower face of said ring-likemember cushionably receiving upper edges of said bowllike article, apair of opposed outwardly-extending expandecl recessed portionscommunicating with said annular recessed portion receiving saidflange-like handles, a central open portion formed through said ringmember bounded by downwardly-inwardly tapered wall portions nestiblyreceiving said concavo-convex cover member in an inverted position andretaining same in spaced-apart relationship from said bowl-like article,said ring-like member having a multiple-sided outer periphery formedwith twice as many surfaces as there are bounding side wall portions insaid outer container, and alternate ones of said surfaces cooperatingwith said bounding side wall portions to maintain said cover member andbowl-like article in spaced-apart relationship with said side wallportions.

3. A package for protectively storing and shipping a plurality offrangible ware articles comprising an outer container having a pluralityof bounding side wall portions, a bowl having a pair of flanged handleportions extending outwardly from its upper rim, a cover member for saidbowl, and a foamed plastic partition member for cushionably retainingsaid cover member in spaced-apart relationship with said bowl; saidpartition member being positionable upon said bowl so as to maintainsaid bowl in spaced-apart relationship from said bounding side wallportions when placed within said outer container, a recessed portionformed in the lower face of said partition member receiving the upperrim and flange portions of said bowl therewithin, a central open portionextending through said partition member and communicating with saidrecessed portion nestibly receiving said cover member in an invertedposition while retaining same in spatial relationship with said bowl;and said partition member having an outer periphery composed of aplurality of wall portions which cooperate with said bounding side wallportions to fixedly position said bowl within said outer container, andrecessed corner portions intermediate said wall portions spaced apartfrom the intersections of said bounding side wall portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,573,445 Phillips Feb. 16, 1926 1,937,939 Behrens Dec. 5, 19332,142,518 Lavere Jan. 3, 1939 2,812,856 Lantinberg Nov. 12, 19572,878,931 Stroheim Mar. 24, 1959 2,994,425 Honeycutt Aug. 1, 1961

1. A PACKAGE FOR A BOWL-LIKE VESSEL AND AN ASSOCIATED COVER MEMBERCOMPRISING, AN OUTER CARTON HAVING A PLURALITY OF BOUNDING SIDE WALLPORTIONS, A VESSEL HAVING UPWARDLY-EXTENDING SIDE WALLS POSITIONEDWITHIN SAID OUTER CARTON, A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID YET COMPRESSIBLE FOAMEDPLASTIC PARTITION MEMBER HAVING A CENTRAL OPEN PORTION EXTENDINGTHERETHROUGH POSITIONED UPON SAID VESSEL, AN ANNULAR RECESS FORMED INTHE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID PARTITION MEMBER AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAIDOPEN PORTION CUSHIONABLY RECEIVING UPPER EDGES OF SAID VESSEL, ACURVILINEAR COVER MEMBER HAVING A PERIPHERAL FLANGE ADAPTED TO OVERLIETHE UPPER EDGES OF SAID VESSEL WHEN POSITIONED THEREON IN AN UPRIGHTORIENTATION, TAPERED WALL PORTIONS SURROUNDING SAID CENTRAL OPEN PORTIONRECEIVING AND NESTIBLY RETAIN-